


The Spellcaster Princess

by DraketheDragon



Category: Original Work
Genre: Dragons, Gen, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Tagging, Knight, Magic, Monsters, Not as Cliche as it Sounds, Princess - Freeform, Soulmates, bad ideas all around, maybe an actual plot later, normal fanstasy world stuff, this was a bad idea
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-07 13:00:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16854415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DraketheDragon/pseuds/DraketheDragon
Summary: Kiya is a princess locked in a tower and cursed by her father. Joffrey is a chimera torn from his family and bound to her. Michael is an ordinary kid whose village is beset by monsters. Nigitri is a knight who wears secrets like armor. Nothing will stand in there way. Not ogres, not necromancers, not gods, and certainty not emperors with emotional constipation.The dragon though? The dragon might be a problem.





	1. A Princess and A Tower

**Author's Note:**

> This is a really bad idea and I have no clue what I'm doing so enjoy!

“Oh, I sit here and wait for my hero to come. I do nothing but sit and wai-” As Kiya reached the last note of the annoying song that was stuck in her head, she heard a thump on the window seal. Her shoulders slumped as she heaved a sigh, and turned to view the bird that lay on the ledge. It wasn’t moving, and a quick poke proved her initial assessment. The bird was as dead as a doorknob. With a guilty shrug, Kiya picked it up and threw it out the window. Then she turned and shifted to the wall adjacent to her window, pressed her back to it, and with a impish grin plastered on her face, waited for the reaction she knew would come.

“OWWWWW!!!! What the f*** was that? Princess, are you killing the d*** birds again with your s**** singing?” 

Kiya turned her face so her cheek pressed against the wall and she could see the hills surrounding the tower. “I have no clue what you’re talking about! I sing like an angel!”

“One that is death to every flying creature f****** out there!”

“They die of joy!”

“And I’m the f****** king!”

“Oh free me King Joffrey! Free me from this prison!”

“You know I f****** can’t!”

For a moment, Kiya could swear she saw something outside. She moved so she could lean out the window, and her brow furrowed. “Is that a knight?”

“What-oh yes it is! About d*** time!”

Kiya looked down so see could see Joffrey pacing at the base of the tower. From this distance, she couldn’t see the exact details, but she could see the chimera's tail twitching. She looked up and peered out over the hills, squinting to see better. She frowned slightly. “ Is it just me, or is that guy tiny?”

“What do I look like? A f****** expert? Although I do have to admit he is abnormally small.” Joffrey had stopped pacing, but his tail still twitched, probably from disappointment. “He won’t even make a good toothpick.”

“Is he shrinking?”

“No, just going down a hill.”

As the knight rode closer, Kiya noticed that the guy hadn’t just been small from a distance. His horse was way to big for him, he had to be a midget. If he wasn’t a midget, then he had to be at most three years old. But a knight was a knight, and they were all the same when Joffrey got to them. “Oh brave and handsome knight! Save me! I have been locked in this tower for three years! My only entertainment has been the joy of getting to watch great knights like you be eaten by my nobel guardian Joffrey!” Kiya grinned, knights were always exciting.

“Not at all inspiring Princess.” She heard Joffrey say as he started to camouflage himself.

“Shut up Joffrey. Oh brave knight, if you manage to defeat my guardian and rescue me, you will secure your path to the throne by securing my hand in marriage!”

The knight, who had rode significantly closer, stopped abruptly. “Say what? I’m not marrying anyone.”

Kiya frowned, noticing how ill fitted the knight’s armor was. And how small he was. He was smaller than Kiya, and Kiya wasn’t tall herself, though it wasn’t like she could get an accurate measurement from way up in her tower. “Then why try to save me? By the rules of the spell that has been cast on this tower, once you free me, you are compelled to marry me.”

“Because the local king said the only way to get help for my village was to free the princess.”

“Your village is under attack?”

“ Yes, by ogres.”

Kiya felt a trickle of relife.” You don’t want to marry me?”

“No, I’m like ten.”

“Well then, we have a conundrum. If you free me, we will be married, but your village will be saved. If you don’t free me, your village is destroyed. If Joffrey eats you, your village will be destroyed. You say you are ten, but you look like you are three.”

“If who eats me?” “Joffrey, he’s my chimera. Joffrey, don’t eat him, he’s like three.”

“I’m ten!”

“D***. Well, he would not have been more than a mouthful anyway.” Joffrey said as he faded back into view. At the sight of a giant lion with goat horns, bat wings, a scorpion tail, a mane made of spikes, and glowing red eyes, Kiya’s brave knight started to scream. Joffrey backed up at the sudden noise, and Kiya forced herself not to bang her head against the wall.

“F***. I think I scared him.”

Kiya rolled her eyes. “You think? Also, please keep the swearing down to a low. We don’t want to ruin his innocence.”

“D*** it. All right.” The kid was still screaming his head off. Kiya slumped on her ledge. Calming hysterical three year old knights was only slightly more entertaining than killing birds, but only just.

 

. . .

 

It took about an hour to calm the knight down. This process was not helped by the fact that every time the kid so much as looked in Joffrey’s direction, he started screaming again. This problem was slightly solved by Joffrey's camouflage abilities, but the ten-going-on-three year old would still whimper every time he heard the chimera’s voice. The rest of the job had been left to Kiya and her people skills, or more exactly, her lack of people skills. Spending five years in various towers had not made her the most outgoing of people, but in the end, she had managed.

“So kid, I have good news. But first, I need to know your name. I can’t just call you kid, can I?” Kiya gave a crooked grin.

“Uh, it’s Michael, your highness.”

“Second, drop the highness, it's just Kiya. Third, I found a way that you can save me and not have to marry me, although you won’t get your reinforcements.”

Michael looked visibly perturbed. “Then what’s the point?”

“Joffrey and I can help you. Joffrey is very proficient in eating things that want to kill him. I have read every book in this tower at least five times, and at least half of them where spell books. All I need is supplies, and I can do a good amounts of damage. I’m almost positive that the last inhabitant was a spell caster of some kind, though they probably got eaten by a demon.”

For some reason, Michael sounded as if he was nauseous. ”Ok? How can I help you escape?”

“You only have to marry me if you defeat Joffrey and climb to tower to free me.  So all you need to do is go about a mile north, and open the door carved into the hillside. It's the entrance to the passage that leads to the storage rooms at the bottom of the tower.”

The kid had the gall to sound skeptical. “What stops you from escaping that way?”

“ I did that with my first tower. But I was caught and spelled so I could not leave the tower unless someone helped me. Then in my next tower, I convinced my guardian to free me. He died, and I was put in this tower with Joffrey as my guardian. Joffrey was spelled so that he can’t help me escape. But all these towers are built the same, so you should be fine.”

“How long have you been in this one?” “Three years, the first one two months, the second one, two years. Now what are you waiting for? Get a move on. Skedaddle.”

Michael skedaddled, and Kiya watched him leave as fast as his horse could carry him. Joffrey faded into view. “Did you tell him about the traps, princess?”

Kiya froze. “S***. Be careful about the traps!” She hollered, then she looked down at her guardian. “Do you think he heard me? Oh gods, I just sent a three year old to his death.”

“Eh, doesn’t matter. Wasn’t even big enough for a toothpick.”

“Thank you for your endless wellspring of confidence.”

“It’s all I aspire to be.”

Kiya sat on the window ledge and gazed off into the distance. “You are the absolute worst. You know that, right?”

“Yep.”

 

. . . 

 

While waiting for Michael, who may or may not of been coming back, Kiya began to pack up what she needed. A few spell books, some of the cheaper, less conspicuous jewelry, a hand full of goose feathers from one of the pillows, a bestairy on local monsters, a sewing kit to mend rips in clothes, one of her grubbiest gowns. She then made sure she had plenty of room for food and travel supplies, which she could get on her way out. Assuming that Michael survived. 

Kiya shivered and pulled on her most worn out and patched dress as she contemplated her squeamish thoughts over the possible death of the child knight. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen people die before. In fact, after spending five years in various towers, she had pretty much become callos to watching people die horrible deaths and get eaten. Perhaps it was because Michael was a kid, perhaps it was the fact that Michael had been blackmailed. Which brought other troubling thoughts. How many people had been blackmailed into rescuing her that got eaten? How many villages might have been destroyed because Joffrey ate their only hope?

For a few minutes she looked out the window, contemplating the various knights she had seen eaten over the years. That was when the entire tower shook whitch enough force to knock her off her feet. Goose down from her ripped pillow floated on the the air as the tower began to teeter, she tried to reach a feather, just one, but it felt as if rocks had been laid on her limbs. Kiya lay gasping as the tower stopped shaking. Her jaws clenched as she fought to keep her frustrated tears in. She couldn’t even save herself, couldn’t even be allowed to grab a feather to cast the fly spell when the tower was on the verge of collapse.

The spell that kept her locked up was not as simple as she had made it seem to the most likely dead knight. It ran like this:  _ Whenever you are near a tower, you cannot rescue yourself. Whenever you are near a tower, you guardian can not rescue you. Whenever you are near a tower, your guardian must guard you from those who would do you harm, and those who would claim your hand in marriage. This spell can only be lifted if a knight defeats the guardian, climbs the tower, rescues the princess, and marries her. Once a knight rescues the princess, they must marry the princess. Only then may the spell will be lifted.  _ Of course there is true loves kiss, that was a guarantee to break any spell, but what princess can find her true love when locked in a tower?

“Princess? Are you okay up there?” Joffrey’s voice floated up from the bottom of the tower, full of concern and lacking it’s normal expletives.

“Just fine.” Kiya called out, her voice thick. There was a feather on her nose, and she sneezed. “I better start unpacking, shouldn’t I? There’s no way he could of survived that.”

“You never know princess, knights are resourceful a*******, he might of survived.”

“And if he did?”

“Then you better start practicing your maternal feelings?”

“I’m very confused about that sentence you just uttered.”

“Just practice bowing, scraping, and uttering over the top yet sincere apologies.”

Kiya felt her lips twitch slightly. “I’ll take you word for it Joffrey.”

She lay there for a while, having no desire to get up now, or even ever. Sending a child to his doom and knowing that he had almost certainly died gave her a feeling worse than any she had ever felt before. It was in this stew of guilt that she wallowed in when Joffrey’s voice could be heard once again. 

“He’s back princess, just coming over the hill.”

Kiya lunged to her feet and almost threw herself out the window in excitement. “You sure? I can’t tell from here!”

“Sure as can be!”

The chimera was right, coming over the hill was a figure that was definitely too small to be any grown knight, though it was missing a horse. “Tell him I’ve already started to leave the tower when he comes closer!”

“What do you mean me tell him? He just almost died and is probably in hysterics. His horse probably got blown up.  I certainly can’t comfort him. Princess! Are you listening to me? PRINCESS?” But Kiya had already grabbed her pack and started trotting down the multitudes of steps to get to where the food was stored.

 

. . . 

 

The walk to the base of the tower was a long one, made even longer by Kiya’s stops to pick herbs that would be components for her spells. Around her neck swung a silver chain with a large black opal on it, a hasty decision that might come to save her life or cause her to be burned at the stake. As an afterthought, she tucked the necklace into the bag at her belt with all her other components. If she was going to pass as a druid, the one type of spell caster that wasn’t killed on sight, then it would be better to keep the opal tucked away.

Kiya approached Joffrey and Michael, then stopped as she assed the situation. She couldn't smother the smik the spread across her lips. Joffrey had wrapped around Michael, who was sitting on the ground. The chimera was crooning to the kid and licking his hair in what Kiya assumed was supposed to have been a comforting manner. Even more surprising was the fact that it seemed to be working, Michael wasn’t even screaming at the sight of Joffrey.  _ My guardian is good with children. Who would of thought?  _ Kira grinned wider.

As she got closer, Joffrey fixed her with a reproachful glare. Kiya froze, then gave the chimera a trembling wave. “Hey Joffrey. It's nice to see you face to face for the first time.”

“Likewise princess.”

Kiya had read about chimeras, but not even the diagrams in her books could prepare her for the real thing. He was monstrously huge, even laying down he dwarfed her. His fur, spines, horns, wings, and tail where a black that faded to silver. An odd color for she had read that most chimera in the southern regions were gold. His face was more huminoid than she had expected, and his eyes glowed a vivid blood red. Kiya remembered that silver coloration in a chimera meant they were reaching middle age, so Joffrey was old enough to have fathered some broods.

“So, you’re good with children?”

“When there not screaming.”

Kiya looked at Michael, who was staring at her with dark eyes. His skin was a few shades lighter than Kiya’s and his hair was less tightly curled. His armor consisted of a chain shirt that went past his knees and was belted at the waist. He had a large, ancient looking pendant around his neck.

Kiya knelt till their eyes were leval. “I’m sorry.”

His response was automatic and held no little trace of anger. “You should be. My horse died. I nearly died. You better be able to uphold your end of the bargain.”

Kiya nodded slightly. “I will. How did you survive?”

Michael tapped the pendent on his chest. “This. How will we get to my village in time?”

“How far away is your village?”

“Three days ride.”

Kiya looked up at Joffrey. “Joffrey can carry us. He can get us there in a day and a half.”

“No he can’t” Michael said.

“I’m not a pack horse. I won’t do it.” Joffrey muttered.

Kiya smiled at the two of them and placed a hand of Joffrey's flank. “Joffrey is strong and very fast. He can and will do it.”

Joffrey growled slightly. “Why do I get the feeling that I don’t have a choice.”

“Because you don’t. Michael, How long have you been away from your village?”

“About three weeks.”

“How do you know that your home hasn’t been destroyed.”

Michaels face paled slightly. “The village seer said we had a month when I was sent.”

Kiya frowned, seer’s where notoriously untrustworthy, for most who attempted to see the future wound up crazy. “We better get a move on then.”

 


	2. The Smallest Knight

When Michael had been woken up earlier than normal three weeks ago, he would never of expected what would of come. That morning he had believed he was going to send a message to one of the adjacent villages. This was something that he had done often enough, he was the villagers main message  boy, and this was the reason why he wore the amulet that protected him from harm. Michael only carried important messages, and had even once rode to the local lord’s castle. However, this was not a problem that their lord could fix.

“She’s seen what?” asked Michael, looking at his father in worry as he saddled up Blueberry.

“Ogres. Coming anywhere from two weeks to a month.” His father answered.

“But it’s the wrong season for ogres! We aren’t prepared.”

“That's why you are going to the local king to ask for help.”

“The local king?”

“Yes, now go swiftly my son, and come back to me.”

The Kukrugia Empire was made up of little kingdom-states, all governed by their own kings who made up the council of Emperor Khafra. Michael and his family lived on the border of the Vraca Kingdom-state and the Suigia Kingdom-state, but technically his village belonged to the Vraca Kingdom-state. He spent a week and a half traveling to the capitol, and about half a week trying to get a hearing from the Vraca King. Only to be sent to save the princess from the tower, which had added another weeks travel. Michael was getting very worried about the condition of his home.

“Tell me about your home.” Princess Kiya said. It sounded almost like a order. She looked over he shoulder at him and grinned, her eyes streaming from the constant wind. “Please.”

Michael tightened his hold on her waist, and made sure he wasn’t looking down. He wasn’t sure that his amulet could keep him from splatting at this height. “My village is a small town on the border of the Vraca Kingdom-state and the Suigia Kingdom-state, but we belong to the Vraca Kingdom-state.”

“I never did like the Vraca King. He doesn’t care for his subjects like he should.”

“I thought he was your father.”

“Why? Because my tower is on his lands? That never stopped my father. Please continue about your village.”

“Well, we are a farming village, and we produce enough for winter every year. We are close to the mountains, and we have to deal with ogres coming down from the mountains every year.”

“Then why do you need reinforcements now?”

“Wrong season for ogers. It’s summer, there is enough game in the mountains that the ogres don’t attack, but when its winter and the game is scarce, that's when the ogres come. Mercenaries always stay the winter too, to fight the ogres. Dad says mercenaries can’t find stable income in the winter, so that's why they always flock to mountain towns in the winter, because they have a stable job.”

Kiya sounded thoughtful as she said, “I didn’t know that, I should have known that.”

“You were locked in a tower for years.”

“I should of been told. The Vraca and Suigia kingdom-states border the Wrentrath Mountain Chain, right?”

“I think so.”

“That mountain chain is a barrier between us and the Meakobar Dynasty. If your King wasn’t as much of an idiot, he would of sent provisions to make peace with the ogres so we could have another barrier between us and the Meakobar Dynasty. Joffrey, it's getting dark, could you please find a place for us to land and make camp?”

The chimera gave a rumble of assent as Michael looked at the princess with worry. “But, the ogres are monsters!” He cried. “No one ever makes deals with monsters!”

“According to most, anything thats not human is a monster. By that logic, Joffrey is a monster, and I can assure you that although he enjoys to eat knights, Joffrey is less of a monster than any at court. That place looks as good as any, Joffrey.”

The chimera laughed. “Thank you princess for your outstanding defense. I can assure you Michael, that although that ogres are barbaric fiddlesticks, they are hardly true monsters.”

Michael closed his eyes as the chimera dove, mulling over what had just been said. He would have plenty of things to think about to distract him from the possibility that his village could have already been destroyed.

They set camp in a small clearing, barely big enough for the three of them. Michael, who had camped many times before, worried that the princess wouldn’t be any help. He was surprised when she pulled her weight, and when the wood proved to damp to light a fire, the princess pulled a few flowers from her belt pouch and lit a flame. The food she had brought was also a great relief. Around them and the fire curled Joffrey, whose gigantic presence would deter even the most reckless of bandits.

“What is the name of your village?”

“Westrom.”

“West? But your town is in the northern parts of the empire.” 

“I think it was a joke.”

“Oh.” There was a brief silence as the princess mulled over something in her head. Then she asked, “What kind of spell casters does your village allow in?”

“Only druids.”

Kiya grinned. “That's settled then. I will be a druid, and Joffrey will be my familler.”

“Thats sound like a crappy idea.” Joffrey's voice boomed from around them.

If anything, Kiya grinned even wider. “Don’t worry, we will be completely fine. Now try to get some sleep, I’ll take the first watch.”

Michael was just falling asleep when he heard Kiya jump up. “Do you have a dagger?”

“What?”

“Oh, I found one, I figured I would make you a real knight, figuring that the spell don’t care either way.” Kiya touched Michaels shoulders and head with the dagger. “I dub the Sir Knight Michael the Small, Defender of the town Westrom. Now get to sleep.” But it was no use, Michael was already asleep.

 

. . . 

 

When Michael got up next morning, he noticed that Kiya had already packed up camp. She tossed a biscuit and some cheese in his direction. Michael barely managed to lunge and catch it. When he looked back at Kiya, her eyes were sparkling. “Get up squirt. We’re going to be riding all day, and we can get to Westrom by nightfall if we leave now.”

Michael got up and brushed some leaves of of his clothes. He hurt everywhere. Sleeping all night in armor that didn’t even fit wasn’t the best idea he had ever had. “You owe me a new horse princess. You got my last one killed.”

Kiya winced. “You’re right, I did.” she dug into her pack and got out a heavy silver bracelet and a thin silver chain. She had a uncomfortable look on her face. “I’m no eye at judging horseflesh, and since I’m on the downlow, I won’t have access to good breeds. I’ll more than likely get swindled for a mule. You seem to know more about horses than me, having more than likely owned one because there is no knight’s horse that could carry you. I hope this covers the cost.”

Michael looked up at her and tried not to cry. “Blueberry was my horse. She was a little bit big for me but she carried me everywhere.”

Kiya looked shamefaced. “I’m truly sorry, please please don’t cry.” 

Unfortunately, Michael was unable to keep the tears in, and Kiya had to help him mount Joffrey and steady him on the chimera’s back. The chimera made a slight crooning purr as he took off. Michael felt the princess lean against him as she told Joffrey which way to go, and soon he managed to keep the tears in. He took the silver jewelry from the from the princess, and shoved it in his pouch. “Why silver and not bring gold?” He asked, wiping the last of his tears from his face.

“Gold brings attention, learned that my first time escaping. Silver doesn’t bring as much attention, and it's easier to explain if you say it's a family heirloom. I would of brought copper, but I don’t have any.  My father didn’t allow me to have any, he said it wasn’t fitting of someone of my rank. Which is a shame, I think copper is a lovely metal.”

“Lovelier than gold?”

“When a person eats the same thing every day of their life, do they not eventually get sick of it? My father loves gold so much he flaunts it every day, so I’ve grown to dislike the sight.”

Michael thought of living in a place where gold was something a person saw every day instead of once or twice a lifetime. “Your life must be so easy.” he said.

“Easy?” Kiya gave a bitter laugh. “Easy? My father hates the sight of me but heaven forbid if his only child was bedecked like a commoner! Easy? Being locked in a tower for five years is easy? Having to be perfect is easy?”

“At least you don’t have to muck out stables or only get meat two or three times a week! At least you don’t have to live in the muck and mud!”

“No! I live in a tower so some brave and noble knight may rescue me! So that we may marry and so that I may find out that that brave and noble knight is to weak-willed and inept to rule a kingdom! That he picks councillors that are greedy and corrupt. Or someone who thinks that because they rescued a princess they can control armies to protect against invading empires.  It's such an easy life to be a brood mare as my husband brings this empire down around his ears! To watch my people live in pain and poverty! And to know that I can do nothing but sit there and look pretty because no one thought a princess needs to know anything about ruling, or commanding armies, or heaven forbids, take the crown!”

“IF YOU TWO ARE GOING TO HAVE A FLIPPING ARGUMENT, CAN YOU WAIT TILL WE LAND SO YOU ARE NOT YELLING AT EACH OTHER ON MY BACK!!!!!!” Joffrey’s roar shook the both of them to the bones, and they both collapsed into a sullen silence.

“I’m sorry that you don’t live in the best conditions Michael, I’ll try to fix that one day.”

“I’m sorry too.” Minutes passed before Michael dared speak again. “But how can you do anything?”

“I’m going to hide till I’m old enough to no longer be so desirable as a wife. During that time, I will teach myself everything I can about being queen, and as many spells as possible. After that time, I will go back to court. No doubt my father will attempt to lock me up again, but knights don’t want to rescue full grown woman, they want to rescue nieve girls who will throw themselves at their feet. When my father either steps down or dies, I will have to take the throne. With no husband, the court will have no choice but to crown me queen. There are no actual rules about a woman taking the throne, just that the crown goes to the oldest son, and if there is no son, then to the oldest daughter, whose crown will then be passed to her husband.”

“Oh.” Michael felt very small, this realm of politics was beyond him. 

“Also, Michael, when we get to the village, you can’t call me Kiya or princess. Both of those are to unusual. That goes for you too Joffrey.”

Michael had to agree, princess was a dead giveaway, and Kiya was not a very popular name. “What should I call you then?”

“Call me Jesse, and Joffrey will be James.”

“I will not be flippen James.”

Michael nodded. “Jesse and James. Got it.” He could hear Joffrey muble underneath him.

“One last thing Michael.”

“Yeah?”

“You said that the ogres are coming out of season?”

“Yes.”

“So what drove them to attack you out of season? Ogres are peaceful as long as they have food. Its summer, so they should have plenty of food. And it would have to be something majorly destructive to drive the ogers to attack in this time of year.”

Michael felt a trickle of dread. “Destructive?”

“I’m talking natural disaster like a drought or a major predator, like a dragon.”

Michael winced. “I don’t know.” His voice trembled. “Mister Joffrey, I mean James, could you please speed up? Please and thank you.” He hoped they weren’t to late.

 


	3. What Ogres Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Told you there was a dragon

Three weeks ago, there was a storm dancing over the Wrentrath Mountains, near the village of Westrom, over the lands claimed by no human, but the monsters from human dreams. The storm’s partner was one of these monsters, but not one of the native ones. The only dragons in the Wrentrath Mountains where small, and didn’t grow to the size of the one who tangoed with the storm. The dragon’s name was Xarzith Altiui.

The dragon swept low across the mountainside, looking angrily at the trees. It hadn’t grown up in this area, didn’t know how to hunt for food in a environment like this. The tundra was okarthel, and the dragon didn’t like these woods. But the dragon hadn’t had food in a while, and hunger pressed it to do things it normally wouldn’t.

Pausing in its dance with the clouds, Xarzith Altiui breathed out the freezing breath of the northern drakes. Trees creaked and groaned as ice coated them. The dragon landed on a mighty tree, which broke under its weight. Balanced on the fallen tree, the dragon shifted to a form of a smaller creature, one that had nimble hands and could look in the frost for anything that had been caught in the blast. 

Xarzith Altiui didn’t like hunting this way, it was hawrk'ghukech. Despite that fact, the dragon ate well that night.

 

. . . 

 

The ogres found the frozen land that morning. The scouts ran back to the village to get their wise woman, who said that what they described was the after affects of the breath of a great dragon, not the small ones that lie in their forests. It took two days of debate, but in the end, the council was in agreement. The dragon would want the mountains as its own, and dragons need lots of prey and land. The tribe would have to leave. But not east or west, in those directions there where other tribes, who would not take kindly on their intrusion. No, they would have to go south into human lands, and if they could not carve out land for themselves there, then they would take as much as they could and offer it to the dragon in hopes that it would spare them.

The decision was announced, preparations for assault began, and in one of the trees, a pale bird muttered to itself. “Vobit, xsio, vur pothoc.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okarthel =home  
> hawrk'ghukech=pathetic  
> Vobit, xsio, vur pothoc=expletives


	4. The Town of Westrom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments appreciated!

    The town of Westrom lay between the Wrentrath Mountain chain  and the locally named Temisgus Forest. Michael hadn’t been lying when he said he lived in the mud. Even though the town didn’t seem to be a center of trade, the roads should of been in better condition, but they were mud paths. This was something that Kiya and Joffrey found out the hard way when Joffrey landed. The trio had landed about a mile from town, because Kiya had judged that a flying chimera was more terrifying than a walking chimera. And so Joffrey the Chimera, Kiya the Princess, and Sir Knight Michael the Small progressed to town.

    They were met with pitchforks and pinched, terrified faces.

    “Its okay! It's me! Michael Farthorne! I’ve brought help!”

    “Michael?”

    “That doesn’t look like a battalion of soldiers.”

    “Or knights.”

    “Who is that girl?”

    “Oh my gods, it one of Anir’s creations.”

    “It’s going to eat us all.”

    “EVERYONE CALM DOWN!” There was immediate silence. Kiya stood facing the crowd, hand on her hips, glaring at each and every person who looked like they were going to say something. “That's better. Now a girl can hear herself think. I assure that neither James nor I am going to hurt any of you. Unless you do something stupid like put your arm in Jame’s mouth, I can’t make any promises that he won’t bite down. Is there anyone I can speak to that has any authority in this place.”

    “I do.” Said an old, liver spotted man as the crowd parted in front of him. “I’m Lokni Nightstream, The village leader. Who might you be young lady?”

    “I’m Jesse, a druid, and this is my familiar, James. We came because we heard about the ogres and decided to help.”     “Why? Druids don’t involve themselves with normal folk, only about great important things.”

    “This is important.”

    “No druid is going to rescue a village that is getting attacked by ogres. It happens all the time.”

    “Perhaps I’m not worried about the ogers. Perhaps I’m worried about what has the ogres all worked up.”

    Lokni looked at Kiya, then turned around and gestured for her to follow him. “Michael, head to your father and assure him your safe. Jesse, James, follow me.” Kiya and Joffrey followed, and the crowd scattered away from something as unusual as a magic user and her familiar. Even if that magic user was one dedicated to the service of Yznja.

 

. . .

 

    Kiya kept a watch on the villagers as Lokni lead Joffrey and her to a great building near the middle of Westrom. The villagers watched her back, faces hard and eyes bright with terror and distaste. She opened her mouth to speak, but a glare from, Lokni had her closing her mouth. Briefly he spoke to a youth that stood in their path, then lead the two into the building. Kiya noticed the stone pillar close to the building, beautifully carved, and the only sign of wealth in the village. It was a prayer pillar, depicted with seven gods, Anir had been left out. She also noticed that Joffrey could barely fit in the door.

    The building was large, with a long table in the middle and many chairs. Lokni took one, and motioned for Kiya to sit. Kiya did so, and Joffrey curled up behind her, wings tight to the side, and grumbling under his breath. Lokni leaned forward and grinned at Kiya. It was a predatory grin. “When I was young, I traveled to far away places, and met many people, including druids. Druids have natural creatures as their familiars, not creatures of Anir’s brood. I do not care if you are a sorcerer, or wizard, or any other type of spell caster, as long as you can help us and not kill any of my people.”

    Kiya gulped. Lokni was sharp, and she could tell he would of made a good king, better than many who sat on the council. “Understood sir, may I ask who you sent after?”

    “ I sent after Eyota Dawnash, our seer. Young Jesse,” The infliction on her chosen name left no doubt in Kiya’s mind that Lokni new it was a false one. She watched the village leader smile. “Between you, your familiar, and that northerner, we might actually stand a chance.”

    “Northerner?”

    “Yes, he came a f-”

    “Oh dearie! I’m home!!!!”

    At the sudden interruption, Kiya yelped in surprise and fell off of her chair, while Joffrey jerked up, ears flat and a hiss echoing through his teeth. Lokni just turned around with a pained look on his face to gaze at the woman who had barged into the hall. She was wearing a dress made of garnish colors, had fizzy white hair, and milky white eyes that rolled sightlessly in their sockets. All seers where blind, having traded one sight for another.

    The woman strode forward, cackling.“I see ogres coming from the mountains. Buildings burn and freeze. Upon the throne sits two Queens. I can see the Xorean Empire eat and eat. One by one, they all fall down, till Anir’s kingdom stands alone. I see the rise of a legend, and that legend starts here.”

    Kiya choked slightly, for a second, the seers eyes had been locked on her when she said the word Queens. Lokni stood up and guided the seer to a chair. “Eyota, my dear, please sit down.”

    Eyota broke from his grip and kneeled beside Kiya. “You have the face. The empire needs a face. Beware the one that comes from the North, she is not what she seems. I two see Queens, Queens of a new age. Anir will be welcomed back, and dark things will no longer be  banished. Iznera brings back the balance by crowning her king. My lady sees it, and shows it to me. Two Queens for a new age.” The seer leaned close to Kiya’s ear and whispered. “Kings and emperors use magic to bind their daughters, but say its not true magic because it is steeped in tradition. Towers and Guardians are not the work of sorcerers and wizards, because they are bad, and binding princess who would be queens is not so bad. I see two Queens who share a throne. Don’t worry, I won’t tell.

    Eyota stood and looked at Lokni. “The druid Jesse and the chimera James will stay with Michael’s family. They will be welcome there. You don’t need me for this. I will go to my house, spout nonsense, and laugh at the little ones listening at the door.” The seer turned to walk out the door, but stopped and spoke once more. “Ogres have minds, but they think with fear. Ice and fire rain from the sky. The dead will walk again.” Then Eyota Dawnash was gone.

    Kiya swallowed. “Well that was eventful. Does that happen often?”

    Lokni sighed. “More than you think.”

 

. . .

 

    William Farthorn considered himself a level headed and open-minded man, but having a druid at the steps of his house, with a monster behind her was stretching his tolerance. He looked down at the girl in her patchwork dress, who had to be Michaels age. “What can I do for you mam?”

    “Lokni, actually it was Eyota who said this but Lokni who agreed, said that I was supposed to bed here for the duration of my stay. Though I’m slightly confused, doesn’t this town have a barracks to store mercenary’s in?”

    William found himself relaxing at the girls confused tone. “We do, but they aren’t prepared in the summer. We would of cleaned them out, but we’ve been busy preparing the town for the attack.”

    “Oh. May I come in?”

    “Sure, but you familiar must stay outside, he’s too big to fit inside.”

    The druid girl nodded, then turned around to mutter to the beast behind her. Said beast pulled an incredibly rude face, but turned and bounded into the nearby forest. The girl waved at the monster until he could no longer be seen, then turned to William. “Don’t mind James, he can be a bit of a grump.”

    William stepped away from the druid, let her in and said. “I don’t know much about druids, but aren’t you required to where a pin?”

   The girl sighed. “Shiny pins, tree branches, and high speeds don’t alway go together.” The girl held out a hand. “I’m Jesse, and you must be Michael’s father, William is it?”

   “Thats me.”

 

. . .

  


    For two days nothing happened. For two days it was calm, no sign of invasion, except for the hasty protections being made by the town. For two days Kiya collected supplies, put up protection spells, and prepared herself for battle. For two day Joffrey prowled in the woods, looking for any sign of ogres, and eating the small creatures of the wilds. For two days the amulet of protection sat in the base of the prayer pillar in the middle of town. For two days the pillar amplified the magic of the amulet, spreading the magic through the town.

   The storm broke on the third day. 


End file.
